Poinsettia plant `135`

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure describes a new Poinsettia cultivar, named `135`, having attractive bicolored red and white flower bracts. `135` is stiff-stemmed with vigorous growth habits and self-branching traits which increases its value as a flowering branched plant. This new poinsettia cultivar originated as a sport of the cultivar described in U.S. Plant No. 3,889.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Poinsettia `135` is a stiff-stemmed, vigorous poinsettia with attractivebicolored red and white flower bracts. White is the predominant colorwith red splotches of various sizes and shapes randomly scattered overthe bracts. The plant has self-branching traits which increases itsvalue as a flowering branched plant.

This new poinsettia cultivar originated as a sport of the cultivar ofU.S. Plant No. 3,889 in a greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. It wasselected because of the unique coloration which distinguishes it fromother poinsettia cultivars, and making it a desirable plant forcommercial greenhouse production. It is a more vigorous plant andbranches more freely than the cultivar of U.S. Plant No. 3,889. Thebract color is red on white in contrast to the pink on red colors of thecultivars of U.S. Plant Nos. 3,889 or 4,860. The bracts are more erectand do not droop like that of U.S. Plant No. 4,860, giving it a livelyand fresh appearance. After selection, vegetatively reproduction of thisplant by stem cuttings for test purposes in Encinitas, Calif., andclones of the plant were subjected to successive generations ofvegetative propagation. The bract colors and the percentage of eachcolor of the flower bracts remain stable from generation to generation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Poinsettia `135` is illustrated in the accompanying color photographs.The upper photo is a side view of a branched plant in full flower. Thelower photo is a top view of a plant showing flower and bract formation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of this new poinsettia asobserved in a greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif., during December, 1987.Recorded observations from flowering plants, grown as 3 unpinched plantsper pot were observed. The pot was 14 cm. in diameter and 11 cm. inheight. Color designations were compared to the 1986 edition of R.H.S.Colour Chart, first published in 1966 by The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England.

THE PLANT

Origin: Sport of the cultivar of U.S. Plant No. 3,899, the sport beingfurther treated by the process set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,276, soas to impart self-branching characteristics thereto.

Classification:

Botanic.--Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Common name.--Poinsettia.

Cultivar name.--`135`.

Form: Shrub.

Height: Medium.

Growth habit: As a single stemmed plant, upright and vigorous. In fullflower, the stem is terminated by a large inflorescence, with severalsmaller flowering side shoots lower on the stem. Observations of 3plants in a pot with an overall height of 43 cm. and an overall width of50 cm. were made. The bract diameter of individual flowers was 33 cm.

Branching: Branching can be enhanced by removal of the stem tip. Then,several flowering branches with equal vigor may develop on a singleplant.

Growth Rate: Very fast. Rooting of stem cuttings occurs in 12-18 daysunder intermittent mist. The plant will flower in about ten weeks undercontinuous long night conditions and night temperatures of about 16-18degrees C.

Foliage: The foliage is clean and uniformly green from bottom to top ofthe plant. The leaves are of medium size, leaf blades typically beingabout 14-16 cm. long and about 8-10 cm. wide with leaf petioles about6-7 cm. long.

Leaf shape: Typical leaves are ovate with obtuse bases and acuminatetips. Leaf margins are mostly entire with slight lobing and minorindentations on each side of the blade.

Color:

Upper side.--Darker than R.H.S. 147B, lighter than R.H.S. 147A.

Under side.--Near R.H.S. 137C.

Retention: The foliage retention is good even under low lightintensities in the consumer's home.

Bracts: Generally there are 21-24 bicolored red and white bracts ofvarious sizes subtending the cyathia. The primary bracts have bladestypically 14-16 cm. long and 8-10 cm. wide with petioles about 3 cm.long.

Shape: Bracts are mostly ovate with acute bases and acuminate tips.Primary bracts are mostly entire with some slight lobing.

Color:

Upper side.--Bicolored: White bracts with red splotches. Whitebackground near R.H.S. 155A. Red splotches between R.H.S. 53B and 53C.

Under side.--Bicolored: White near R.H.S. 155A. Red near R.H.S. 53C.

Cyathia: Generally, 15-18 cyathia (flowers) develop when the plant is in"full bloom". Each cyathium is about 6-7 mm long and about 5-6 mm wide,green in color, and fringed with yellow at the distal end. Usually, onlyone bright yellow nectar cup protrudes from the side of each cyathium.The flower pedicel is also green and about 5-6 mm in length. The anthersprotruding from the cyathia are white.

What is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia cultivar,substantially as herein shown and described, distinguished by itspredominantly white bracts bearing scattered red splotches,stiff-stemmed, and vigorous growth habits.